[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of The Box, written and directed by Patrick Hamilton at the Hollywood Fringe Festival 2023.
ENCORE PERFORMANCE July 7 and 8 at 8:15PM.
Discount code: ENCORE2023
https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9735?tab=tickets
Let’s cut to the chase. I haven’t seen a play this well written, directed, acted, and produced for a long long time. I guess that’s it for this review. Not really, I just wanted to get that out of the way. Beginning with the premise. Boy loves girl, boy wants to propose to girl, father gets in the way. That’s all I want to reveal. I don’t want to spoil it because this play should be seen and seen soon. Enough praise, let’s get to the details.
The cast is the thing. There is the father, Cal, played with a menacing warmth by Darrell Shipley. There is a dead-eye intensity when he confronts the would-be son-in-law, which reminds me of Charles Bronson. Now, Cal doesn’t resemble Charles Bronson physically, but the Death Wish stare is there. The fellow in question is Stephen (not Steve). He is played with nebbish brilliance by Conor McGee. The dance these two characters engage in could be its own play. As good as these gentlemen are, the show belongs to Alice, the would-be fiancee that is caught in the middle of this intrigue. Alice is played by the wit, charm, and dramatic aplomb of Chelsea J. Smith. Together, the three are the dream team with Alice stealing our hearts.
The writer/director of this play, Patrick Hamilton, cleverly crafts this play into making us believe it is one thing but turns out to be several things. Not an easy trick to hold the audience’s attention for 80 minutes. At first, I was taken down the path of a comedy of errors, which then took a turn into a relationship that seemed to be crossing a dangerous line. Then it was a whodunnit, with a twist ending. It was all of these things and yet, it was its own thing. Not very well expressed by me I give you that, but that is my point. Those 80 minutes flew by because I was involved with the characters on stage and the story that was weaved in front of me. I cared about Alice and Stephen’s relationship and rooted for them at the same time. I was drawn in by a great story, with punchy and smart dialogue spoken by three actors that made me forget I was watching three characters on stage. The play speaks for itself. Do yourself a favor and see The Box with a friend, a loved one, your fiancé, or your father-in-law. It’s well worth your time.
Tickets:
https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9735?tab=tickets
Where:
The Box is being performed at The Zephyr Theatre
7456 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
When:
June 15 at 5:30 P.M., June 17 at 6 P.M. and June 18 at 7:45 P.M.